Only 42.5% trees transplanted in Delhi survived: Forest department

The Delhi Tree Transplantation Policy, 2020, mandates a survival rate of 80% at all sites, which means none of the seven sites met this target

The forest and wildlife department has said that of the 1,357 trees transplanted in and around Delhi between 2019 and 2022, only 578 have survived — pointing to a low adaptability rate of the process. According to documents seen by HT, 779 transplanted trees were found dead, leaving a survival rate of 42.5%.

The worst survival rate was observed at the DTU campus where only 12.61% of the transplanted trees survived. (HT Photo)

The assessment was carried out across seven different transplantation sites in Delhi, where the survival rate ranged from 12.6% at north Delhi’s DTU, to 60% at east Delhi’s Mayur Vihar.

The Delhi Tree Transplantation Policy, 2020, mandates a survival rate of 80% at all sites, which means none of the seven sites met this target, data shared by the environment department with Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai shows.

Rai on Thursday launched a 12-point summer action plan to combat air pollution. He listed a revision of Delhi’s existing tree transplantation policy as one of the key areas the government had looked at since the existing survival rate of transplanted trees was poor. In a meeting held with 30 government departments and agencies, including the forest department, officials shared the data on the assessment of the survival rate of transplanted trees at different sites.

The data shows that the forest department looked at transplanted trees at seven sites across Delhi — the DTU campus, a sewage treatment plant in Rithala, Sarojini Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Yamuna Khadar, Tajpur Pahadi and Gharoli Farms in Mayur Vihar.

The worst survival rate was observed at the DTU campus where only 12.61% of the transplanted trees survived. This was followed by 17.05% at Rithala, 36.30% at Sarojini Nagar, 36.79% at Kasturba Nagar, 47.51% at Yamuna Khadar, 51.72% at Tajpur Pahadi and 60.0% at Gharoli Farms in Mayur Vihar.

Data also showed out of the 578 transplanted trees that were found alive, only 452 were found to be “healthy”, and the remaining 126 have been listed as “unhealthy” trees.

For a tree to be transplanted, its top canopy has to be pruned, followed by digging the area around the tree. After pruning all visible roots, a transplantation truck, which uses blades and hydraulic pressure, pulls the tree out of the soil. The tree is then moved to another site and planted. The tree is provided vertical support and has to be watered regularly for at least six months.

Delhi’s Tree Transplantation Policy, 2020, was notified by the forest department on December 24, 2020, under section 33 of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994. However, trees in Delhi were transplanted in 2019 as well, before the policy formally came into force. The policy mandates the transplantation of at least 80% of trees felled for a project, with measures needed to ensure the survival of at least 80% of the total trees transplanted.

The Delhi government is yet to carry out a full-fledged assessment of transplanted trees since 2019. In May 2022, the government shared an affidavit with the Delhi high court, stating out of the 16,461 trees transplanted between 2019 and 2021, only 5,487 or 33.33% of the total trees survived the process.

Rai, on Thursday, said the forest department has been made the nodal agency to gather data and feedback from all greening agencies in Delhi, involved with tree transplantation, to assess the reason behind a low survival rate. “We are seeing some species survive no matter where they are planted in Delhi. Others meanwhile are unable to grow anywhere. So not only do we have to study the species type, but also the soil type,” said Rai.

He told HT that agencies were instructed to incorporate newer transplantation techniques and maintain the same soil type at both sites. “The tree is transplanted from one site, where the soil type may be completely different than where it is transplanted. It is important that agencies maintain the same soil type at both locations,” he said, stating newer technologies had also come up since 2019, which can allow an improved survival rate.

“The forest department has time till September 15 to gather feedback and we will also look at newer techniques and technology for transplantation,” he said.

Meanwhile, experts said that tree transplantation is a new process and will require agencies to look at existing examples within and outside Delhi.

“Species with a shallow root system, like the ficus, will typically do well, as they only have surface roots. Deep-rooted species are unlikely to survive. The timing is also important. Most of Delhi has deciduous trees, so January to February is the ideal time,” said Pradip Krishen, environmentalist and author of Trees of Delhi.